Method and apparatus for restoring fur in a shuttle to active position



Dec. l4, 1937. A. TEBo 2,101,964 1 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RESTORING FUR IN A SHUTTLE TO ACTIVE POSITION Filed March 10, 1957 2 Sheets- Sheet; 1

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w. A. TEBO 2,101,964 METHOD AND APPARATUS FCR RESTORING FUR IN A SHUTTLE TO ACTIVE POSITION Dec. 14, 1937.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 10, 1957 INVENTOR. awn/7. 779,60

Wzyfi BY flMar ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RESTORING FUR IN A SHUTTLE T ACTIVE POSITION William A. Tebo, Anthony. E. I.

Application March 10,

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a loom shuttle; and has for one of its objects the mechanical restoring of the fur in a shuttle to active position which may have become matted during use, whereby the fur may again act upon the filling to control same as it is drawn oil. the bobbin.

Another object of the invention is to provide a restoration for the fur of a shuttle to active position which will operate to lift the matted fur on opposite sides of the shuttle which will lay in different directions by operation of the lifting means in different desired directions.

Another object of the invention is to restore the fur of a shuttle to active position while operating in a loom without interruption of the operation of the loom.

Another object of the invention is to maintain the loom in continuous operation and restore the fur to active position to control the filling yarn as it is drawn off the bobbin in the shuttle by causing air or any gas to be directed against and over the fur in the shuttle after the filling, which is in the shuttle, is substantially exhausted, when there will be ample opportunity for 'air 01' a gas to act to lift up the matted hair of the fur and restore it to a desired condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control for the restoring air or other gas, if desired, in place of air, so that at the time the 100m is stopped by reason of the throwing of the shipper lever a control will be actuated to prevent flow of the restoring air or gas so that such mechanism cannot operate when the loom is stopped. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanical action to cause the restoration of the filaments of the fur in timed relation to the movement of the shuttle so that the action will occur only during the useful time at which air 40 may be directed into the shuttle, thereby effecting a saving of the air and the expense necessary to compress the air for this purpose.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of portions of a loom which have to do with the operation of my invention with other portions omitted;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the lay illustrating a shuttle in position over the fur activating tube;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through a shuttle and 1937, Serial No. 130,094

the lay illustrating a modified form of tube arrangement;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a different tube arrangement and also controls for the pair of tubes indicated;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of one of the nozzles shown in Fig. 4.

Many shuttles are provided with fur cemented along the inner walls of the bobbin opening to engage the filling and retard the movement of i the filling as drawn off the bobbin, thus controlling the filling yarn as the shuttle operates. Regular or hand threading shuttles require that the weaver manually insert a bobbin in a shuttle upon the previous bobbin being exhausted and the fur which is contained in such shuttles is manually restored by the weaver who rubs his finger along the fur in the desired direction or combs the fur with a comb to lift the matted fur. Lifting the matted fur by the finger is not entirely satisfactory to restore the fur to active position, although it assists materially, and in the use of this invention the fur will be restored better thanby the use of the finger. Further, in automatic looms in which the-bobbin transfer takes place automatically without stopping of the loom the fur in these shuttles cannot be activated by the weaver rubbing his finger along the fur of the shuttle or combing the same, and consequently the fur in automatic shuttles becomes very much more matted, and after about one hours use is substantially ineffectual as a control for the yarn in the shuttle. When the fur becomes matted the yarn will often slip off of the end of the bobbin, sometimes called shelling off, or there may be a slack pick or kink or loop which will occur, causing various imperfections in the cloth, such as scalloped edges or different appearing conditions because of this slack pick, or if a kink occurs a tension may be increased and cause a tight pick or Shiner in the cloth due to this lack of control. In order that restoration of the fur control may be had mechanically, Ilhave arranged to direct air or any gas forcefully over the fur in a desired direction to lift it from its matted condition which may be easily effected in the hand threading or regular shuttle either at a location adjacent the loom or in the loom, While I have arranged that the fur be restored to active position in an automatic loom without stopping the loom or interrupting the shuttle by causing the air to be passed in the desired direction with relation to the fur after the filling has substantially been exhausted from the bobbin and just before or during the time that the transfer of a new bobbin takes place; and this being the more developed form of the invention I have shown an arrangement for accomplishing it more particularly in the present embodiment of the invention, there being a conduit carried by the lay of the loom directed to or adjacent the shuttle box and which may be automatically mechanically actuated from the starting rod or some part which moves at the time the transfer takes place; and the following is a more detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention, illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished:

With reference to the drawings, I0 designates the framework of a loom having a breast-beam I I, a lay I 2 with a shuttle raceway plate 13 thereon, and a shuttle box M at one end, all rockably supported through swords'l5 uponthe rock-shaft I6 supported in bearings at the lower portion of the frame. The usual filling feeler I I is suitably mounted to operate through the opening; in the shuttle box I4 and to also extend through aniopening inthe side'wall'of 'the shuttle when in the box to engage the bobbin and slide when the filling is substantially exhausted in 'a known manner.

The starting rod I9 is suitably supported in bearings 20 on the .breast'beamand has alever 2| rising therefrom to which an arm 22 is .connected. This arm carries the usual bifurcated end with a bell crank leverl23 pivotally supported in'this bifurcated end,-which lever is connected to the transmitter rod 24 which is actuated by the 'feeler 25 whenthe same slides on the bobbin or indicates that the filling issubstantially exhausted. When this condition occurs this "bell 'crank lever 23 swings across the bifurcated end of the arm 22 so that the reciprocating weft hammer .26 will engage this lever and throw the arm 22 andleverZI to rotate the starting rod l'il. When the starting rod I9 operates it causes proper indicationfor the bobbin transfer mechanismto operate. This is all known construction and is somewhat more fully illustrated in my Patent No. 1,714,993 dated May 28, 1929.

I have also shown a shipper lever 30 (without its supporting mechanism) to cause a slidingof the startingbelt or moving of the clutch to start the :loom. The upper end of this lever is guided in a slot'29 in thebracket 3Iand the lower end 32 operates in a slot of an arm .34 to cause a. movement of this arm and a 'rocking of the knock off shaft 35 which operates the pawl on the pick wheel of the cloth take up roll in a known manner.

The shuttle is shown moreifully in Figsc2 to 4 ofthe drawings, .and is designated generally 35, and the particular type which vI have shown in Figs 2 and 3 .is for an automatic loom. Ihe automatic shuttlehasside walls 36 and no bottom wall with a bobbin opening '31. Fur 138 is cemerited along theinner surface of the side walls 36,although in some 'cases other locations may be had'for the fur.

I have also chosen for illustrative purposes only, to show my'invention applied to the left hand end of the loom or at the end opposite to that at which the transfer of the bobbin *4Iltakes places. This fur, as is well known, becomes matted due to pressure of a 'full bobbin of filling yarn orthe continual'pulling off of the yarn-from the bobbin and tballooning of the yarn in the shuttle 'so that the fur .gradually becomes less efiective to supply "the desired control of the filling yarn on the bobbin. After about one hour's use the fur becomes so matted as to practically be inefiectual. In order to restore this matted fur to active position in an automatic loom without interruption of the loom or travel of the shuttle back and forth, I have provided a pipe 42 which extends through the lay at a desired point, that shown being into the shuttle box at a point which will be most effectual for lifting the fur by blowing a current of air or any gas against the fur. That which I have indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 is substantially at the mouth of the box and consists of a single tube at such an angle that the fur will be not only lifted laterally of "the axis of the bobbin but will also be tipped inwardly toward the jaw end which grips the bobbin. This conduit 42 may also have divisions at the mouth so as to guide the air in different directions if desired and is designed to operate While the shuttle is in motion traveling over the mouth of the tube.

The conduit extends along the .lay sword I5 downwardly toward "the rock shaft l6 and connects through a 'flexible'hose 43with a conduit 44 fixed adjacent the rock shaftIG on the 'framework'of the loom to'which any gas'under pressure may be continually supplied, and I provide controlyalves 45 and '46 for this tube 44.

The control 45 will .cause the valve to be opened to permit passage of air along the tube at all times except when the loom is stopped, and according1y,-in order to operate this valve 45 I connect this valveto'move in-response to the supply of power to the loom,and for convenience in location I have connected this valve to theknock off shaft 35ibya link 41 'and shaft connection 48 which will serve to operate the arm '49 of the valve 45 to'shut off the-supply of air when the loom is inoperative-or turn on the supply of "air when the loom is in operation.

'In 'order to supply air through the conduit 42 at the desired time I connect the valve 46 to some part which operates in connection with the transfer of the bobbin or on an indication of the bobbin being substantially depletedv of its filling thread,

and'for'this connection I have provided a link 50 1 attached to an arm 5| fixed to the starting rod I9 and also toan arm 52 of the valve 46. Thus, when the feeler mechanism operates and causes the transfer mechanism to indicate, 'the rocking of thestarting rod I9 will open the valve 52 to permit air .tobe supplied'through the conduit 42 to blow in the desired direction to lift the matted fibers of fur asthe shuttle passes from the shuttle box l4, and just as soon as transfer takes place the startingrod I9 rocks in the opposite direction which will shut off this valve 46 and the loom will operate in :its usual manner until another bobbin transfer. It will be apparent that various meansof directing air orgas against the fur may be provided either bymeans of a. vacuum or by pressure, the latter being most effective. I have shown a single directional conduit in Figs. 1 and 2. In Fig. 3 Ihave shown aconduit'54 which has branches 55 and 56 all movable with the lay. The branch 55 has-a loop 51 therein which isof such a size and arrangement as to cause it to give substantially the sameresistance to the air which passes from the branch point 58 through it as will be caused by the shape and length of the conduit 56 from the branch point 58. Thus, I will supply to the outlet point 59 of the branch 55 and the outlet point 6|] of the branch 56 substantially the'same pressure. These difierent branches are so located that the "branch 60 forces air downwardly while the branch 55 forces air upwardly, both being located to force air along the opposite walls of the shuttle. These two outlets may also be directed angularly with respect to the axis of the shuttle or in any desired angular relation for effecting the desired directional lift of the air or gas along the matted fur. Thus, in this case, the one branch goes through the lay l2, as heretofore, while the other one goes around the lay and extends inwardly from the top of the box through plate which leaves the path of travel of the shuttle clear.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a little different form of shuttle in which there is a bottom Wall 62 provided which is of the hand threading shuttle type with a fixed rod 63 in the center upon which the bobbin is mounted, and in this case I may direct the tubes 69 and which are fixed on the framework of the loom so that they extend inwardly to be located over the top of the shuttle only at one position of the lay, there being a whirling action by reason of the bottom of the shuttle to give the air an upward direction to desirably effect a lifting of the fur. In Fig. 4 I have illustrated two valves 61 and 68 one in each tube 69 and 1D with controls direct from a starting rod l9 which operates through links 65 and 66 to the valves 61 and B3.

In this case it will be unnecessary to have flexible connections to the tubes 69 and H! as they do not move with reference to the framework of the loom and therefore the links El and 68 may be connected directly to the arms Ti and 12 on the starting rod 19. As the action in the hand threading shuttle may occur at the time the loom is stopped I may substitute a hand operation for the automatic control from the starting rod I9.

The nozzles also are spread out in wider fashion when the operation occurs when the shuttle is not in motion, and I have illustrated in Fig. 5 the nozzles 73 which will in such event be the shape of the nozzle upon the ends of conduit tubes 89 and 10. These nozzles 13 have an outer flaring mouth wall 14 and fins 15 and E6 to control and direct the air as it is expelled from these tubes to operate upon the hair of the fur. In some cases, however, I may put a turbine blade in a tube such as 42 in Figs. 1 and 2, and in that way cause a circular whirling of the air to effect the desired lifting of the fur from its matted condition.

I have illustrated in the various forms here shown the air as supplied to either the top or the bottom of the shuttle, this occurring because of the openings which are present at these points. However, it isto be understood that the air may be supplied in any direction for restoring the fur to active position, even through the side walls of the shuttle if such appears to be advantageous. I have also referred primarily to air pressure or the pressure of any gas which might be carbon dioxide, for instance, to be forced through the tube. The same may be supplied from any suitable source under any suitable pressure, the pressure to be determined by the speed with which it is desired that the air operate, and while I prefer that air be supplied under pressure for accomplishing this purpose it is also to be understood to be within the contemplation of this invention that a vacuum through the tubes may be created to cause air to be directed over the fur in the opposite direction and sucked into the tubes which would desirably aifect the fur in a similar manner, and wherever I have used the term air or gas a vacuum as well as pressure should be understood to be contemplated in the claims.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of restoring a fur tensioning means in a shuttle to active position, which consists in forcibly passing a gas in a direction relative to the fur tensioning means whereby to cause any matted filaments of the fur to be separated and lifted into natural active position.

2. The method of restoring a fur tensioning means in a shuttle to active position, which consists'in forcibly passing a gas in a direction relative to the fur tensioning means While the shuttle is in the loom, whereby to cause any matted filaments of the fur to be separated and lifted into natural active position.

3. The method of restoring a fur tensioning means in a shuttle to active position, which consists in forcibly passing a gas in a direction relative to the fur tensioning means while the shuttle is in the loom and just prior to the transfer of the bobbin in the shuttle, whereby to cause any matted filaments of the fur to be separated and lifted into natural active position.

4. The method of restoring a fur tensioning means in a shuttle to active position, which consists in forcibly passing a gas in a direction relative to the fur tensioning means while the shuttle is in the loom and just prior to and during the transfer of the bobbin in the shuttle, whereby to cause any matted filaments of the fur to be separated and lifted into natural active position.

5. The method of restoring a fur tensioning means in a shuttle to active position without removing the shuttle from a loom, which consists in forcibly passing a gas in a direction relative to the fur tensioning means while the shuttle is in the loom and after indication of the feeler motion for transfer of the bobbin, whereby to cause any matted filaments of the fur to be separated and lifted into natural active. position.

6. In a loom, a shuttle having a fur tensioning means, conduits for passing air or gas arranged adjacent the path of the shuttle and directed to-' ward the fur tensioning means in the shuttle when the same is in a certain position, and means to control the flow of air or gas through the conduits in a timed relation with reference to the position of the shuttle and contents of the weft supply to lift the filaments of the fur tensioning means into upstanding active position.

'7. In a loom, a shuttle having a fur tensioning means, a lay, conduits for passing air or gas arranged adjacent the path of the shuttle and movable with the lay, and directed toward the fur tensioning means in the shuttle when the same is in a certain position, and means to control the flow of air or gas through the conduits in a timed relation with reference to the position of the shuttle and contents of the weft supply whereby to lift the filaments of the fur tensioning means into upstanding active position.

8. In a loom, a shuttle having a fur tensioning means, shuttle boxes, conduits for passing air or gas arranged adjacent the entrance of the shuttle boxes, and directed toward the fur tensioning means in the shuttle when the same is in a certain position, and means to control the fiow of air or gas through the conduits in a timed relation with reference to the position of the shuttle and-contents of the weft supply whereby to lift the filaments of the fur tensioning means into upstanding active position.

9. In a loom, a shuttle having a'fur tensioning means, conduits for passing airor gas arranged adjacent the path of the shuttle anddirected toward the fur tensioning means in the shuttle when the same is in a certain position, means to control the flow of air or gas through the conduits in a timed relation with reference to the position of the shuttle and contents of the weft supply to lift the filaments of the furtensioning means into upstanding active position, and-a control for the gas operable by the shipper lever of the loom.

10. In a loom, a shuttle having a fur tensioning means, conduits for passing air or gas in opposite directions and arranged adjacent the path of the shuttle and directed toward the fur tensioning means in the shuttle when the sameis in a certainfposition, and means to control the flow of air origas through the conduits in a timed relation with reference to the position of the shuttle and contents of the weft supply whereby to lift the filaments of the fur tensioning means into upstanding active position.

11. In a loom, a shuttle having a fur tensioning means, conduits for passing air or gas in opposite-directions and at equal pressures arranged adjacent the path of the shuttle and directed toward the fur tensioning means in the shuttle when the same is in a certain position, and means to control the flow of air or gas through the conduits in a timed relation with reference to the position of the shuttle and contents .of the weft supply whereby to lift the filaments of the fur tensioning means into upstanding active position.

WILLIAM A. TEBO. 

